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Morocco trip finished

remedy_7remedy_7 Posts: 179
edited November 2016 in Tour & expedition
Just got back from a three week trip cycling around Southern Morocco. Start/finish from Marrakech. If anyone is after any advice or tips? Had a great time.

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  • remedy_7remedy_7 Posts: 179
    Somebody sent me a pm with some questions. Thought I would also post the reply here. Just in case it helps someone else.

    There are small shops everywhere. Sweet/cigarette type. Water is very easy and cheap. Comes in cold 1.5 litre bottles. I decanted to my water bottles but I would recommend adapting your bottle cages to take their water bottles. Crossing barren areas I would buy an extra 5 litre bottle and tie that to the rack. In these areas I would carry at least 8 litres.

    I took a UV sterilizer, Ortlieb water sack to act as a bucket, some long cord. This was for the wells. But I always found a shop or shack selling water cheaply so I never used them. I felt bad going through so many plastic bottles. I would take them again if I was going remote. A well without a bucket and line is useless.

    My route had no traffic at all. Except on the final afternoon returning to Marrakesh.

    Marrakesh airport straight out to Asni - Tizi-N-Test - Taliouine - Tazenakht - Agdz - Desert camping - Merzouga - Desert camping - Tinerhir - Tizi-Tirher Houzine camping - Lac Tislet - El-Ksiba - Bin-El-Ouidane - Demnate - Marrakesh.

    Had a great time. Would do it again. Very friendly people, but just let down by some touts out for your money. But even they are friendly.

    I hope this helps.
  • HenerypaulHenerypaul Posts: 1
    You Just got back from a three-week trip cycling around Southern Morocco. Marrakech is a beautiful city in Morroco, Happy to know that you started and finished your trip from there .Hope your trip was amazing. Had a great time.


    Casablanca tours
  • HolmHolm Posts: 9
    Do you have any pictures of your bike loaded? :) Wondering how much to take with me on a similar trip.
  • amaferangaamaferanga Posts: 6,789
    Here's mine from a Morocco trip back in 2007. I had a tent (Big Agnes SL2) but no cooking gear cos it's not necessary in the Atlas. Panniers are front Ortliebs.

    th_PHOT0094.jpg
    More problems but still living....
  • HolmHolm Posts: 9
    amaferanga wrote:
    Here's mine from a Morocco trip back in 2007. I had a tent (Big Agnes SL2) but no cooking gear cos it's not necessary in the Atlas. Panniers are front Ortliebs.

    th_PHOT0094.jpg

    Looks awesome, Im planning a trip from Denmark (my country) towards either greece or spain/morocco.
    Both very different places and having a hard time deciding what one i wanna go for. Anything you liked about biking in morocco?
  • amaferangaamaferanga Posts: 6,789
    The Atlas are stunning. Lovely quiet roads if you avoid the main tourist 4x4 and campervan routes and some great mountain passes. Great food and lots of opportunities for wild camping as well. I loved it and if you're time limited you can have a proper mini-adventure heading into the mountains from Marrakesh. I based our route loosely on Nick Crane's account in his book Atlas Biker.
    More problems but still living....
  • raboldi135raboldi135 Posts: 20
    Was literally just looking at Morocco for a short bicycle tour in late January/early Feb time.

    What are the roads like? That's my main concern as I've been riding and touring on my my road bike and don't think i'll be able to get a more solid touring bike before then, so i'm hoping that most roads are tarmaced.
  • remedy_7remedy_7 Posts: 179
    I used a hardtail mountain bike. Ortlieb rear panniers. A small tent on the rack. Morroco outside of winter requires minimal gear. But if going off route I would recommend a strong rack as you will need to carry a lot of water. It gets heavy. I also took a 2nd, spare bicycle pump. Sun block. Long sleave shirts. Spare sun glasses.
    I had a trangia and used it a lot whilst camping. Also for making tea mid afternoon when it was too hot to ride.
    Roads were excellent. I would happily ride my race bike with 25mm tyres. I chose to go off route for the wild camping.

    I can't post pictures on here. Sorry.
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Do you have a website or an online photo host? You can embed them from there.
  • remedy_7remedy_7 Posts: 179
    No I don't. It would be nice to add photos once in a while but not really worth the hassle of opening a photo account.
    It is such a shame that most forums no longer have direct photo attachements. Forums are much duller now. But at least we get to see extra advertising.
  • imaginemoroccotravelimaginemoroccotravel Posts: 1
    if you have a short time to visit Morocco, 3 days https://imaginemorocco.com/3-days-marrakech-sahara-fes/from Marrakech to fes is enough for you.
  • moroccoexploretoursmoroccoexploretours Posts: 1
    Morocco really is addictive isn’t it? You go once, you fall in love with the place and you find yourself coming back every time you can. Absolutely gorgeous country and perfect travel destination. Greetings from Morocco Desert Tours. the popular tour are marrakech to fes via desert.
  • mats.henricson8CzXvKjwmats.henricson8CzXvKjw Posts: 3
    I did this trip a few years back. Absolutely incredible scenery:

    https://creditcardbiketouring.com/high-atlas-mountains-in-morocco/
  • pippi_langsamer-2pippi_langsamer-2 Posts: 1,470
    Nice. Had one of my best mini-backpacking (not bike), adventures there about 12 years ago. Flight to Malaga, down to Tarifa and over the Straight to Tangier. Then a clockwise 10 day loop vie Chefchaouen, Fes, Errachidia, Merzouga, back over High Atlas to Marrakesh.

    Can't believe you were riding a bike thru Merzouga! I think it was a constant 45 deg while we were there a few days....
  • mats.henricson8CzXvKjwmats.henricson8CzXvKjw Posts: 3
    I was there in December... :-)
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